Notes, Chords and Arpeggios

Now that David has explained a few common chord shapes, he will go back and explain what notes, chords, power chords, and arpeggios are.

Taught by David MacKenzie in Basic Electric Guitar seriesLength: 8:12Difficulty: 0.5 of 5

Chapter 1: (00:54) Opening Music
Welcome back! Dave opens Lesson 4 with some blues licks in the key of A.

Chapter 2: (7:13) Notes, Chords, Power Chords, and Arpeggios
In this lesson, Dave provides a quick review of topics discussed thus far. It is very important to periodically pause from regular practice and review concepts that you have recently learned. This should be done roughly once every month or couple of months. Otherwise, you run the risk of forgetting important information that you have learned.

Notes

Dave defines a note as "one string plucked/picked to produce a tone or a specific pitch." Often, guitarists strum muted strings to produce a percussive effect. Although muted strings (indicated by x's in notation) do not produce a specific pitch, they are still considered notes.

Take this time to review the proper procedure for fretting a single note. Most beginner guitar students find that their greatest obstacle is producing a consistent solid tune. This is primarily due to issues with the fretting hand. In order to play a note with a tone free of annoying buzzing sounds, the following rules must be observed:

1. The fretting fingers must remain as close as possible to the fretboard at all times.

2. When fretting a note, make sure that the appropriate left-hand finger is as close to the fretwire as possible without actually touching it. Pressing the string down right over top of the fret will cause a note to buzz and ring poorly. Pressing the string down too far from the fret will yield the exact same result. Make note of the location of Brad's fingers when he is fretting a note.

3. The string must be held down with sufficient pressure in order to produce a clear sound. Fretting a note with insufficient pressure causes the note to sound muted.

4. Pressing a string down too hard will cause the string to go sharp. If you apply too much pressure to the strings with your left hand, your playing will always sound slightly out of tune.

5. Do not flatten any of the joints in your left-hand fingers. Make sure each joint is relaxed and slightly bent at all times.

6. Keep the left-hand fingernails as short as possible!

Chords

A chord is formed by any combination of three or more distinct pitches played simultaneously. For every type of chord (major, minor, dominant 7th, etc.) there is a specific formula used to determine which notes are contained within each type of chord. These formulas as well as other complicated music theory concepts are discussed in Phase 2 lessons.

Take this time to review all chords and chord progressions that you have learned so far. As you learn more chords, it is very important that you do not forget chords that you have previously learned. The best way to remember the chords that you have learned is to use them in a musical context. Practice chord progressions often to engrain all chord shapes in your mind.

A. Chord Voicings

Due to the nature of the guitar, there are several different ways to play the same chord. For instance, there are over 75 possible ways to play a basic C chord. Each specific way to fret this chord is referred to as a â€œchord voicing.â€ Make sure you have a solid foundation in all basic, open chords before learning alternate voicings for these chords.

Power Chords

The term "power chord" is slightly misleading from a music theory perspective. A power chord is comprised of two notes. Often, one or both pitches are doubled an octave higher to create an overall larger sound. Technically, three different pitches must be present to form a chord. However, since the phrase "power chord" has such a catchy ring to it, it is used frequently by all sorts of musicians. When two pitches are played together simultaneously, they comprise what is called a "double stop."

A power chord creates an emotionally powerful effect. This is how they gained their popular title. When distortion is added to power chords, their sound becomes even more intense.

Usually, a power chord consists of a root note and the note a perfect fifth above it. For example, a C5 power chord consists of the root note C and the note G a perfect fifth above it. However, a root note is often combined with the third or the note a b5 above it to create a power chord with a different tonal flavor.

Arpeggios

An arpeggio is formed when the notes within a chord are picked individually. Dave defines an arpeggio as â€œa chord or specific notes picked one at a time to create a scale, melody, or sequence in music. Arpeggios are most frequently used to create melody lines and sequences. Most commonly, an arpeggio is substituted for a strummed chord progression in order to create an overall different texture. Arpeggios are frequently used in the course of a guitar solo to outline chord progressions. Watch as David outlines a C# major chord with its corresponding arpeggio notes.

Now that you have learned all of these concepts, try to pick out specific examples of each when listening to your favorite music. Determine whether the guitarist is playing single notes, chords, power chords, or arpeggios. If you have any questions regarding this lesson, feel free to email questions to Dave or other JamPlay instructors.

Supplemental Learning Material

Member Comments about this Lesson

I was wondering if your Fender guitar has standard gauge frets, or maybe jumbo frets...(?) I would think that the larger "jumbo" frets would make it much easier to play, without having to develop heavy callouses on One's finger tips.

Hello Clino77!
Good ear! I got out my tuner and used the open E that Dave plays at 00:55 in Scene #1 and he is de-tuned about a half step. Most times players will do this to accommodate their singing if they happen to have a hard time reaching that high of a pitch (I do this myself, only I tune down a full step). Happy Jamming!

This is crazy. As I look at all of the lessons within this phase, I'm just blown away. I am self taught but David really brings it with simple explanations and demonstrations. One day and I am really playing better. Moving on quickly because it has become second nature to me. Knowledge is power so any of you having a little difficulty, rewind the video and do it again. You'll get it. Keep rockin'!

hey, this lesson is awesome! Thanks for this. I want to be able to understand how chords are derived. similarly how the power chords are derived. This will enable me to derive chords without learning. please help me understand this theory! Thanks a lot!!

David, Lesson 4, chapt. 2, under Power chord "notes" refers to the third as "b5", does this mean a flat (b) 5 ? example: C5, having a fifth of "G", the third would be F#, or the third is 3 notes above C, making it an E ? What is this ? How is "b5" read or spoken? Thank You

Hey, Dave.
I'm enjoying your lessons, but I've noticed as you progress through your lessons that the different guitars you use are tuned different. i.e. the silver Fender with the flag in lesson 4 is tuned 1 full step lower than the guitar you use in lesson 3. I'm not having trouble re-tuning, but without you pointing that out to some of your less experienced students, it may end up being a little confusing for them.
Just sayin',,,,

hey there awesome lessons just curious about bar chord/scale type thing. If I take any bar chord then separate it into single notes does that mean if im playing a g bar chord then play the notes thats a g scale or not?

hey dave bought a new guitar.not as nice a my prs. i didnt want to mess it up learning.so i bought an ibanez grx series. nice guitar but it seem the strings are alot farter off the frets. i can see the allen key holes on the bridge. can i lower them or do i need to get another nut that is shorter to. i practice several hours a day and would prefer to use the ibanez but the prs is allot easer to play. or did i just get a bad guitar

Hey David, this is Nick (you commented a while back on my tae kwon do pic), just wanted to say that you rock brother, i joined this site becuase of your playing. I also love that airborne sticker on your guitar, I got a huge smile on my face when i saw it, i was with the 101st airborne for two years. Any chance i could talk you into writting "12-12-85" on that sticker? (look up 101st and gander). Take care,
Nick
airborne all the way!

If arpeggios are confusing you, think about it like this. When you play a chord you are playing (3) or more notes at the same time. An arpeggio in it's most basic form can just be playing all of the notes in that chord individually instead of at once.

For most of them you honestly don't need to. For instance many barre chords (such as the A shape and C shape) do not require the 6th string to be fretted. Some people do as it makes changing between the shapes faster, but if you cannot do it it isn't necessary.
Also, you only need to worry about your barre finger getting the strings that are not fretted, which can make things substantially easier than making sure all 6 strings ring out.
Also keep in mind Barre chords take a lot of hand strength and will get MUCH easier over time.

I see you play G major with fingers 1, 2 ,3. I have seen other places as well. I am just starting, and the first reference I had showed G major with fingers 2,3, 4. Is there an advantage one way or the other?

you should be able to get more stretch as you go. it's kind of like when you lock your knee"s and try to touch your toe's. you have to warm up the muscles and ligaments, and tendons 1st before you try anything that is difficult stretching wise. some of it is strength, and some of it is flexibilty.
keep after it wasp!!!! you'll get there!! we are here with you every step of the way, but you are the one who has to apply what you learn here!!!
rock on!!!!!!

hey wasp, thanks for the question!
i would definitely start off with learning the first major chords. i like to teach them from A major to Gmajor first. that way you alway have a reference when you need to find them, or a certain chord in a song. you can play them like an exercise or scale, and it helps with transitioning to different chord structures. i really need to do a lesson on this as well. this seems to work with anyone i have taught face to face.
as for your second question, start at the 12th fret with your 1st finger on the small e string (1st string). do a four finger walk up=meaning, 1st finger=12th fret, 2nd finger 13th fret, 3rd finger 14th fret, and 4th finger 15th fret.
do that once, then skip to the 2nd string and continue same exercise all the way to the 6th string(same frets). now go to the 11th fret and start over. once you've done that progress down 1 fret at a time (same exercise) until you reach the 1st fret. this allows your finger/hand to warm up on the smaller frets first before you tackle the larger frets spaces (1st, 2nd, 0r 3rd fret area). i hope that is understandable. let me know if it is'nt!! best of success to you!!!!

kinda got lost here. have been messing around with the open power chords (which is pretty kool) but what should i be learning next? closed power chords or all the major chords? i figure it will take some time to learn the major chords,
but if i know the power chords will give me somethin to play with in between learning the major chords? what do you suggest? if you suggest the major chords, learn them in a certain order? ty:confused:
ps: one BIG question? my fingers will not spread over 4 frets worth a crap, with practice will they eventually be able to or some kind of exercise i can do for them? really feels un-natural at the moment.:(

About David MacKenzieView Full Biography
Dave MacKenzie has been playing guitar for 30 of his 45 years on this earth. Starting back when he was 14 years old, Dave picked up the guitar and started to learn from his oldest brother, who had played some guitar as well. Dave was hooked, and couldn't learn fast enough! Everything from the Beatles, Chicago, Ted Nugent, The Eagles, you name it, Dave was trying to play it.

Then as with a lot of players out there, Eddie Van Halen came along and changed the way guitar was played! Dave has been influenced by anyone he has heard play guitar, literally! Always keeping an open mind and a humbleness about him has helped him to keep learning new things on, and about the guitar.

Dave has mostly played in top 40 rock, country, and pop bands. He is most recently playing guitar and keyboards in a 80's metal band called Open Fire. They have opened for Warrant, Firehouse, Winger, and LA Guns
within the 3 and a half years they have been together, and are now jumping into original music.

Dave believes you should have internal motivation, and passion to play guitar, and most definitely, it should be fun!

As with his playing, Dave will find new ways to show you how to get the most out of your time learning guitar!

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